Printing press



@c&. 15, 1935. J. A. WRAY PRINTING PRESS Filed Nov. 7, 1952 aSheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

JEzmwQWra 1 BY 1 m ATTORNEY.

Get. 15, 1935. J. A. WRAY MZ PRINTING PRESS Filed Nov. '7, 1932 5Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. .JZzmasflJfrg,

ATTORNEY.

J. A. WRAY v a. 15, was.

PRINTING PRESS Filed No v. 7, 19

3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

famesfl 75 a BY 11 v M ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 15, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

This invention is a printing press, and has for its object to providenovel means for printing multi-color work.

More particularly it is the object of the invention to successively movea plurality of printing frames past a paper carrying means, with theprinting frames inked in the various colors and the paper carrying meansmoving the paper into printing contact with each of the successiveprinting frames for printing the various colors in matched relation.

It is a further object of the invention to preferably mount the printingframes in circumferentially spaced relation on a rotatable circular bed,with the paper carried by a cylinder which overlies the circular bed forrotation on an axis radially thereof, and the cylinder being adapted tomake a complete revolution as each printing frame moves past the same,so as to aline the same area of the paper with each of the successiveprinting frames.

It is a still further object of the invention to guide the printingframes as they successively move into operative position with relationto the overlying cylinder, so that during the printing operation eachframe moves along a chord of the circular bed and at right angles to theaxis of the rotating cylinder for properly alining the paper with theprinting frames; and the invention includes a driving connection wherebychordal movement of each printing frame is synchronized with rotation ofthe cylinder during printing contact.

It is a still further object of the invention to ink the variousprinting frames in different colors prior to their movement past thecooperating cylinder which carries the paper, and to automaticallycontact each of the plurality of different colored inking means withonly its corresponding printing frame, so as to properly distribute thevarious colors to their corresponding printing frames.

Further objects of the invention will be readily understood from thefollowing description of the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the printing press.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

The printing press comprises a bed I carrying printing frames 2 andadapted for movement so that the printing frames successively pass acyl- 5 inder 3 which carries the paper which is to be printed,'with thepaper preferably remaining in position on the cylinder while the lattermakes a complete revolution during passage of each of the successiveprinting frames, so that the va- 1 rious frames operatively aline withthe paper on the cylinder in exactly the same relation for printing thevarious colors of multi-color work.

The bed I is preferably a horizontal annular bed carrying the printingframes in circumferen- 5 tially spaced relation, with the cylinder 3rotatable on a horizontal axis radially of the annular bed and adaptedto make a plurality of complete revolutions .at each complete'rotationof the bed, so that with the bed and cylinder each continu- 20 ouslyrotating in the same direction, a sheet of paper fed tothe cylinder andremaining in position thereon throughout a plurality of completerevolutions of the cylinder, is successively printed by thecircumferentially spaced printing frames 5 and finally removed from thecylinder, with the operation then repeated as each successive sheet ofpaper is fed onto the cylinder.

The horizontal bed I is journaled by an annular bearing 4 on an uprightframe 5 which 30 preferably includes horizontal supporting surfaces 6-Iat the inner and outer peripheries of the annular bed; and the bed maybe rotated by a pinion 8 meshing with a gear 9 at the underside of thebed, the pinion being journaled in 35 brackets I 0 carried by the frame5 and having a worm driving connection II from a shaft I2 which may berotated by a motor (not shown), and with a clutch I3 preferably providedbetween the worm drive and the pinion 8.

The printing frames 2 rest upon the bed I and are rotated therewith bylinks I5 which permit limited movement of the printing frames on thebed; and studs I 6 depend fro-m the respective ends of each printingframe at its outer edge and extend through slots I! in the bed I, withrollers I8 which are carried by the studs engaging an annular bearingsurface or guide I9 which is carried by frame 5, so that when the bed Iis rotated the printing frames are moved radially outwardly on the bedby centrifugal force, and are then rotated with the bed through the linkconnections I5, with circumferential movement of the printing framesguided by the contact of their rollers I8 with the bearing surface I9.Throughout the major portion of its length the bearing surface I9 is atrue circumference, but one part of its length is a chord of an arc ofsaid circumference as shown at I9, so that during a portion of itsrotation with bed 1, each of the frames 2 is guided along this chord byits rollers I8 engaging the bearing surface I9 and .by rollers 23 whichalso depend from studs I 6 engaging a bearing surface I9 The bearingsurface I9 is carried by frame 5, parallel to but transversely spacedfrom bearing surface I9 so as to just permit passage of the rollers I820between the cooperating bearing. surfaces and thus insure accuratechordal movement of the printing frame with relation to thecircumferentially moving bed, and the link connections I5 permitrelative movement of the printing frame and bed so that the printingframe may move along the chord.

The cylinder 3 makes contact with the printing frames medially of theirchordal movement, with the cylinder rotating on a horizontal axis atright angles to said chordal movement; and for this purpose the outerperipheral supporting surface I includes a segmental portion I overlyingthe outer peripheral portion of, bed I where the frames 2 are adaptedfor chordal movement, and the cylinder 3 is journaled in bearingbrackets 22 which are mounted on the supporting surfaces 6-7. Thecylinder rotates so that at the point of contact with a printing frame,the cylinder and frame are moving in the same direction; and rotation ofthe cylinder and chordal movement of the frame are synchronized so thatwhile in contact the cylinder and frame move at exactly the same speed,and during each complete rotaso as'to print in any number of colors, thebed I being divided into a plurality of segments, one morethan thenumber of colors desired, and a printing frame 2 for each coloroccupying succeeding segments so as to leave one blank segment, and thecylinder 3 making a complete rev 'olution as each segment of thebedpasses the same. The illustrated embodiment of the invention is adaptedfor two-color work, and the bed I is therefore divided into threesegments, with printing frames A and B at two of the segments, leaving ablank segment C, and the cyl-- inder 3 is adapted to make exactly threecomplete revolutions during each complete rotation of the bed.

The desired synchronized movement of the printing frames and cylindermay be obtained by driving the cylinder from the rotating bed, with theprinting frames moved around to their chordal position and intoalinement with the cylinder by rotation of the bed, and the cylinderthen driving each printing frame along its chordal path while inprinting contact with the cylinder.

As an instance of this arrangement an annular rack 25 may be provided atthe outer periphery of bed I, and a pinion 26 journaled in brackets'21on the supporting surface I may mesh with the rack through an'opening 28in the supporting surface. The cylinder 3 has an internal gear 29 drivenby a pinion 30 which is journaled in a bracket 3I on supporting surfaceI and a.v

driving connection shown as a universal shaft 32 is provided betweenpinions 26 and 30. By proper gear ratios the cylinder 3 is thus adaptedto make any desired number of complete revolutions for each completerotation of bed I. A rack 33 extends along the outer edge of eachprinting frame, and an external gear 34 on cylinder 3 meshes with therack of each printing frame after the rotation of bed I has moved theprinting frame around to its chordal position and has then moved theframe along its chordal path of travel into alinement with the cylinder.The gear and rack driving connection 3433 then continues the chordalmovement of the printing frame during printing contact with thecylinder, so that the printing frame moves with the rotating cylinderand independently of bed I, and the end of the link I5 which engages thebed has a slide 36 adapted for movement in a slot 31 which is formed inthe bed, to permit such independent movement of the printing frame;After the printing operation and when the rack 33 has cleared the gear34 and the rollers I8-20 have cleared the guide bearings I9 -'I9 theprinting frame is again moved with the rotating bed I by the rear end ofslot 31 reengaging the slide 36, and the printing frame is thus swungfrom its chordal path of travel back to its circumferential path oftravel with the rollers I8 engaging bearing surface I9 concentric withthe bed. Movement of the slide 36 inslot 31 may be cushioned by a spring38; and the link I5 may be accurately adjusted with relation to theslide by an eccentric take-up collar 39.

, While the printing frames are moving around with the bed I so as tobring them to position ready for the printing operation, the printingsurfaces 40 of the respective frames are selectively inked'with theirproper color; and for this purpose an inking pad 4I may be fixed on bedI in advance of each printing frame 2, with a series of inking rollersfor each printing frame mounted above the bed and adapted to be inked bythe corresponding inking pad passing under the series of rollers, whichthen in turn inks the printing surface of the corresponding printingframe when the latter passes under the series of rollers. As an instanceof this arrangement series of rollers A and B are adapted torespectively ink the printing frames in segments A and B, and arepreferably mounted on supporting surfaces 6-4 in circumferentiallyspaced relation so as to radially overlie and simultaneously contacttheirv corresponding inking. pads, and then simultaneously engage theircorresponding printing frames as the rotating bed I moves the inkingpads and printing frames past their corresponding rollers and thenbrings the inked printing frames into printing relation with cylinder 3.

Each series of inking rollers comprises a plurality of circumferentiallyspaced radial rods 42 Journaled at their ends in bearings 43-44 whichare mounted on supporting surfaces 6-1, and arms 4546 are fixed on eachrod 42 adjacent its ends and support a shaft 41 on which an inkingroller is journaled. Each inking roller preferably comprises a pluralityof rollers 48 longitudinally one beyond another, and each plurality ofrollers is preferably yieldably held against movement along its shaft 41by springs 49. Rotation of the inking rollers may thus substantiallyconform to movement of the corresponding inking pad 4I when the lattercontacts the rollers; and the rollers are also adapted for yieldingmovement relative tothe printing surface which they en.- gage when theircorresponding printing frame moves past the rollers.

Each series of inking'rollers is lowered into contact with itscorresponding inking pad as the latter passes under the rollers, and isthen elevated slightly so as to just make inking contact with itscorresponding printing surface 40 as the latter then passes under therollers, and is then further elevated so as to clear the printing framesand inking pads until the bed I has made a complete rotation, when thecycle of operation is repeated. For this purpose the arm 45 at the innerend of rod 42 has a depending guide bearing 55 journaled thereon, andthese guide bearings for the inking rollers A'-B' respectively ride inannular grooves 52-53 which are formed in bed I adjacent its outerperiphery. The base 5| of each annular groove has a depression 54extending along a predetermined arc in radial alinement with itscorresponding printing frame 2, and has a still further depression 55extending along a predetermined arc in radial alinement with itscorresponding inking pad 4|.

Throughout the major portion of the rotation of bed I the guide bearings50 thus ride on the bases 5| of their grooves 52-53, so as to rock therods 42 for elevating the inking rollers A-B' to inoperative positionclear of both the printing frames and the inking pads, as shown atinking rollers A in Figs. 1 and 5; but when one of the inking pads 4ialines with its corresponding inking rollers as shown at inking rollersB in Figs. 1 and 5, the guide bearings 50 for said inking rollers ridein their corresponding depression 55 so as to rock the rods 42 forlowering the inking rollers into contact with their corresponding inkingpad, thereby-inking the rollers, and as the rotation of bed I continuesso as to aline the corresponding printing frame with the inked rollers,the guide bearings 50 for said rollers ride in their correspondingdepression 54 as shown at the left of the series of rollers B in Fig. 5,so as to elevate the inked rollers to a position where the printingsurface 40 of the printing frame passing under the rollers will justmake contact with the inked rollers for inking the printing surface.After rotation of the bed I has moved the inked printing frame beyondits cooperating inking rollers, the guide bearings 50 for said rollersagain ride on their corresponding base 5| so as to elevate the inkingrollers to inoperative position. The various inking pads are adapted toink the printing surfaces of their cooperating printing frames with thedesired different colors; and after the printing frames have been inkedthey are successively moved along their chordal path of travel past thecylinder 3 which feeds the paper, it being noted that the supportingsurface I is spaced above the bed I as shown in Fig. 2 so as to permitunobstructed movement of the inking pads 4I under the surface I as theyare carried around with the bed 'I, and it also being noted that theends of the racks 33 on the printing frames as well as the upper ends ofstuds i5 are cut away as shown at 6!, so that when the printing framesare moving along their circumferential path of travel prior to theirchordal movement, the rollers I8 may engage the bearing surface I9 asshown in Fig. 6, without any portion of the printing frames striking therack 25.

The printing frames which have had their printing surfaces properlyinked are successively moved around to their chordal position by thelinks I5 and are then guided along their chordal path of travel by thebearing surfaces I li -I9, with the links I5 continuing to move theprinting frames until the racks of the printing frames are engaged bythe external gear on the cylinder 3. The printing frames are then movedwith the cylinder throughout the printing engagement, with the slots 31permitting relative movement of the printing frames and the bed, andafter the printing operation the printing frames are again moved withthe bed by the links 55 so as to complete the cycle of operation.

At the same time the cylinder 3 is revolved so as to make a completerevolution during the time that the segment C of the bed passes thecylinder, and any usual feed mechanism (not shown) is provided so as tofeed a sheet of paper onto the cylinder during this revolution, with anyusual gripping means (not shown) then holding the sheet of paper on thecylinder throughout the successive revolutions of the cylinder duringwhich the printing frames are successively moved into printing relationwith the cylinder for printing the sheet of paper in the various colorsin exactly matched relation. After the printing operation is completedand during the time when the segment C again alines with the cylinderthe printed sheet is removed in any usual manner (not shown), and at thesame time a new sheet is fed onto the cylinder for repeating the print--ing operation during the next complete rotation of the bed.

I claim:

1. In a printing press, a movable bed, a printing frame on the bed,paper supporting means, a connection for moving the printing frame withthe bed into alinement with the paper supporting means, and drivingmeans distinct from said connection for moving the alined printing framepast the paper supporting means, the aforementioned connectionpermitting movement of the printing frame relative to the bed during andin the direction of movement of the printing frame past the papersupporting means.

2. In a printing press, a movable bed, a printing frame on the bed, apaper supporting cylinder, means for rotating the cylinder, a connectionwith moving the printing frame with the bed into alinement with thecylinder, and driving means distinct from said connection and actuatedby the rotating cylinder for moving the alined printing frame past thecylinder, the aforementioned connection permitting movement of theprinting frame relative to the bed during and in the direction ofmovement of the printing frame past the paper supporting cylinder.

3. In a printing press, an annular bed rotatable relative to its axis,means for rotating the bed, a printing frame on the bed, papersupporting means, a connection for moving the printing frame with therotating bed into alinement with the paper supporting means, and drivingmeans distinct from said connection for moving the alined printing framepast the paper supporting means, the aforementioned connectionpermitting movement of the printing frame relative to the bed during andin the direction of movement of the printing frame past the papersupporting means.

4. In a printing press, a movable bed, a printing frame on the bed, apaper supporting cylinder, means for rotating the cylinder, a connectionfor moving the printing frame with the bed into alinement with thecylinder, a rack on the printing frame, and a gear on the rotatingcylinder adapted to mesh with the rack for moving the alined printingframe past the cylinder, the aforementioned connection permittingmovement of the printing frame relative to the bed'during and in the'direction of movement of the printing frame past the paper supportingcylinder.

5. In a .printing press, anannular bed rotatable relative to its axis, aprinting frame on the bed, a shaft radially overlying the rotatableannular bed, a plurality of inking rollers journaled on the shaftindependently of one another, and means for moving the printing framewith the rotatable annular bed for contact of the printing frame by theinking rollers and subsequent movement of the inked printing frame pasta printing point.

6. In a printing press, an annular bed rotatable relative to its axis, aprinting frame on the bed, a shaft radially overlying the rotatable an-

